Illegal drugs the key to happiness?

 That does at least seem to be the trend in mental health news recently. Two stories in the past couple of weeks have indicated there could be benefits to studying the uses of certain 'illegal' drugs in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

The only really surprising thing about these developments is that this is considered news at all. People have been self-medicating for millenia with natural sedatives, hallucinogens, and well, anything they could get their hands on,  but it appears that new research could demonstrate that these substances could be used for more than mere escapism. 

Many drugs classified as illegal for recreational use, particularly hallucinogens were originally researched heavily for potential medical use and feted as potentially life-enhancing. Their use and abuse recreationally seems to have prevented further research into how they affect our brains, and what potential they may have in the medical field. This seems strange when amphetmaine-based drugs and similar compounds are prescribed to millions, even children, to combat a wide range of diagnoses. 

In the past it has been shown that low does of Ketamine, widely used recreationally as a hallucinogen and club drug, can ease the symptoms of depression within hours. Although ketamine is used for short-term depression treatment in humans, its potential for abuse keeps doctors from prescribing it for the long term.

During recent clinical trials studying Ketamines effect on depression, the researchers discovered a new molecular pathway involved in clinical depression. From this research comes the possibility of a drug that targets the ketamine pathway in another way, offering antidepressants without the same potential for abuse. 

Also in the news recently, a new study proclaims that the hallucinogen in magic mushrooms (psylocibin) could help treat a variety of psychiatric disorders, including depression, anxiety and addiction. The study reviewed the dosage patients would require to get the greatest benefits with the least risk from side effects such as paranoia and delusions. Participants reported improvements in attitude, mood and behavior that were confirmed by their friends and family.

Psychiatric research on hallucinogens, including LSD, was conducted in the 1950s through the 1970s. However, it was stopped after recreational use of these drugs led to cases of drug abuse and the drugs were perceived as a public health concern. It has only been over the last decade that scientists have resumed the research.

The common thread in this research seems to be that science shouldn't be ignoring drugs that have the potential to be abused. Many drugs have the potential to be abused. Morphine is highly addictive but extremely commonly used in hospitals. As shown with the Ketamine research, a lot can be learned from studying not only what effects drugs have, but why they have that effect. Developing safer and less easily abused substances from that research could reap huge benefits for the psychiatric field and the millions who suffer from depression, for whom the currently available drugs merely get them from one day to the next. 

Sources:

Why Ketamine Makes You Happy by Sarah C.P. Williams, 15 June 2011
www.sciencemag.org